Ever since I was six years old, I would create a mixtape of my favorite songs for my birthday and hand it out to my friends and family called Jilly Jams. These are my time capsules and memories of how my music taste has changed and has stayed the same throughout the years. These songs have contributed to the story of my life and now I am sharing them as the next volume of songs as I start my 19th year.

1. "Hey Angel" by One Direction

To start off Jilly Jams this year, I have chosen one of my favorite songs off of One Direction's Made in the A.M., "Hey Angel." I have a deep love for the group and this entire album. But this song is one that has spoken to me the most. I can't even begin to explain my love of this song to be put written words.

2. "Shout Out to My Ex" by Little Mix

Ever since this song came out, I have not been able to turn it off. I love dancing to it in the mornings getting ready for class. Little Mix's vocals shine through on this song through with the a cappella parts of this song and the sass within the lyrics is brilliant.

3. "Should I Stay Or Should I Go" by the Clash

Two words, one show: Stranger Things. I knew the song before the show came out but after binge watching this amazing show that brings us to the Upside Down, my love for the song truly sparked. Now whenever I go on a road trip, this song has to be played and sung along to with everyone.

4. "Lost Boy" by 5 Seconds of Summer

I have loved these Aussie boys since I first started listening to them back in 2012. I was very upset when their debut album for the U.S. did not include my all time favorite song by them, "Lost Boy." But this past year on the band's fifth birthday, they finally released it on iTunes and Spotify here in the U.S. Let me tell you, I sobbed like a baby when it happened and listened to it for three hours straight. It will forever have a place in my heart.

5. "All the Small Things" by Blink-182

Whenever I go to a 5 Seconds of Summer concert, this song plays before they come on the stage. So when I hear it, I get excited as I have so many good memories associated with it. Also, this song is just really good.

6. "Archers" by With Confidence

I've been following With Confidence for a few years now. When their album Better Weather debuted last spring, I was really excited to hear their new music. "Archers" is a prime example of my love for the pop rock genre.

7. "The Middle" by Jimmy Eat World

I have to admit I dance like Taylor Swift in her Apple Music commercial in the mirror when listening to this song. "The Middle" is a comfort to me as it tells you not to care about what people think of you and just worry about yourself because that is all that matters. I find this some of the best life advice.

8. "In the Street" by Cheap Trick

This song is a classic. Every person I know knows this song purely because it became the theme song for That 70s Show. I still remember Cheap Trick playing it when I was three at my first concert. Over the summer, I started listening to this song again and I find absolute joy in listening to it. It reminds me a lot of hanging out with my friends back home as we joke around and play games.

9. "Outlaws" by Green Day

Green Day is probably one of my favorite bands ever. So when Revolution Radio came out I was over the moon. It reminded me a lot of American Idiot, which I remember listening to when it first came out. On this album, like the rest, I was drawn to the ballads. "Outlaws" reminded a lot of their previous songs and when the band did a lot more punk sounding songs, but this time with the twist of a emotional ballad behind it. I love rolling my windows down in the car and blasting this through the speakers.

10. "Chasing Cars" by Snow Patrol

I find the lyrics so beautifully written and an overall masterpiece. My two favorite covers of it are by 5 Seconds of Summer and Ed Sheeran. I love the original, though, for when I am sitting in my dorm room doing homework as I find it very calming and relaxing.

11. "Three Empty Words" by Shawn Mendes

I have been excited to have new Shawn Mendes music since I had seen him in concert. I was instantly drawn to "Three Empty Words" on Illuminate because of how Shawn delivers the lyrics in his voice. The song is about letting go so that you, yourself, can go on living life and not be tied down to something that has worn you down so much that you can't feel anything.

12. "Not Alone" by Darren Criss

I first discovered this song my freshmen year of college when I was sitting in my friend's living room as we watched A Very Potter Musical. This past semester, I rediscovered my love for this song when I introduced AVPM to a few of my friends here at Washington College. I love singing along to it with them in my car with the windows down as we drive to Waffle House.

13. "Better Man" by Little Big Town

I had missed Taylor Swift's beautiful writing style as she announced she was taking a break. When Little Big Town revealed Taylor wrote "Better Man," I instantly went into the iTunes store and dowloaded it. I believe this is one of the most beautifully written songs Taylor has to date. The raw emotion about this heart broken love she had to give up on to get happiness back in her life shows the maturity she has reached within her relationships. Little Big Town does a wonderful job singing Taylor's words to the world.

14. "Million Reasons" by Lady Gaga

My favorite Lady Gaga song is "Speechless." This past year when Gaga announced her new album, Joanne, I hoped there would be a song like it on the track list. I was not disappointed. "Million Reasons" is another hit in my book. I have no words. I guess you can say "Million Reasons" has left me... "Speechless."

15. "This Town" by Niall Horan

When One Direction decided to take a break, I was happy for them, though also quite sad as I would miss them putting out music. But Niall Horan did not let that feeling last for long. I was over the moon when he put out "This Town." It gave me a mixture of Ed Sheeran and Frank Sinatra vibes. I cannot wait to hear the rest of his album this year.

16. "Penny Lane" by the Beatles

I grew up listening to the Beatles. As I grew older though, their music had not been in my music library in a while as I was exploring other artists. Just recently, I started listening to them again thanks to my History of the 1960s class. It felt as if I was falling in love all over again. I couldn't actually choose a favorite song to put on this playlist so I decided upon "Penny Lane" as it is the name of one of the characters in my favorite movie, Almost Famous.

17. "80s Mercedes" by Maren Morris

"80s Mercedes" defined my summer. I could not stop listening to Maren Morris' debut album the entire time I was out of school. I love the mix of pop, rock, and country. But this song stood out to me the most. Also, I love the chorus of it so so much. But what I love the most out of it all is when it comes on the radio and my mom and I sing it together.

18. "Castle on the Hill" by Ed Sheeran

I cannot even put into words my love for Ed Sheeran. When he announced that he was releasing new music I cried. Out of the first two singles he released to promote ÷, "Castle on the Hill" spoke to me the most. I love the story it tells and you get a glimpse at the people who helped Ed to the spot where he is today. The song talks about listening to "Tiny Dancer" while driving down roads when either seeing your friends or you just saw them. I related to this lyric so much as whenever I drive home from hanging out with my close friends from high school (shout out to Squadratic Formula), I blast "Tiny Dancer" in my car. Now when I drive home from seeing them, I will be blasting both "Tiny Dancer" and "Castle on the Hill."

19. "Holy Ground" by Taylor Swift

Choosing a Taylor Swift song is always the hardest thing to do whenever I create a new playlist for my birthday. It was especially hard to do this year as she has not released a new album in over two years. So this year, after literally sitting for hours debating what song to choose, I went with a throwback to Taylor's Red Era. "Holy Ground" should have been a single. It's one of the more upbeat songs from the record as it looks back at a relationship that at first was hard to let go of, but now can be looked back at as a wonderful memory. I love the message of this song as it tells you that everything happens for a reason and makes you the person who you are today, and that should make you happy, but you are allowed to miss that part of your life sometimes. It also contains one of my favorite lyrics Taylor has ever written ever: "But I don't wanna dance if I'm not dancing with you."

Bonus: "Guys My Age" by Hey Violet

Because who doesn't love a bonus?! Hey Violet has been one of my favorite bands for a while now. They have released two EPs since becoming Hey Violet and released this as their first official single. The song is quite different from the rest of my music taste hence it becoming a bonus song, or if a was really going to burn a cd, a hidden track. I don't know what it is about this song but I find it such a bop. I cannot wait to see what the rest of the album will be like.

I thank God for giving me such wonderful opportunities within my past 18 years of life and I cannot wait to embark on my 19th adventure. I thank him also for my loving family and friends who support me no matter what and stand by my side. I thank God for my two other best friends, Mairin and Hannah, who I get to share this special day with, so happy birthday to them as well.

I look forward to my next year around the sun and for the new music that will become part of my life story.